Chapter 116 - 115 Untraceable, Cater to Their Likes

The Jianghai Science and Research Institute is located in the heart of the East City District, existing in a manner similar to a tech park.

It’s quite a distance from the North City District.

It took Li Jing more than ten minutes to find the place.

It was not a problem of distance, as he had stayed in North City District since he arrived in Jianghai. He was not very familiar with the other three districts, East, West, and South, as he had never been there.

As he approached the research institute’s area by controlling his sword, he landed at the entrance of the park.

The entire research institute is a controlled area, not only air-restricted, but also guarded everywhere.

Breaking directly in is not an option.

After showing his credentials to the guard at the entrance, Li Jing was allowed in.

The research institute was brightly lit in the midnight, with lights shining everywhere.

Upon entering the park, Li Jing went straight inside.

Before he came, Chen Jing had briefed him that the incident occurred in the Central Research Institute, the tallest building inside the park.

All the way to the Central Research Institute, guards from the Research Institute could be seen all over the park.

Li Jing watched all this, feeling puzzled.

The research institute now was under strict martial law.

The force on guard before the incident should not have been so strong.

However, looking at the current situation, the permanent guard force should not have been weak.

How did Jiang Guanwen slip in?

Being secretly wanted, his academician status must have been revoked by the research institute, normally he wouldn’t even be able to pass the park entrance.

The park was air restricted, he couldn’t have flown in either.

Night flying is not the same as in daylight, even if it’s not by riding a sword light, it’s still quite noticeable.

With these thoughts in mind, Li Jing soon arrived at the entrance of the Central Research Institute.

At this time, there were six fully-armed guards at the entrance of the Research Institute.

Seeing Li Jing approach, one of them stepped forward.

"Please show your credentials."

"Um."

Li Jing stopped and took out his credentials.

The man took the credentials, glanced at them, nodded, handed them back, and stepped back.

"Go all the way to the back. The scene of the crime is the Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Center. Please do not trespass in other areas, we ask for your understanding."

"Understood."

Li Jing responded and walked into the Research Institute, feeling somewhat surprised.

Chen Jing did not specify what Jiang Guanwen stole.

But since the crime scene is the Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Center, it must have been related to artificial intelligence.

Would Jiang Guanwen need to steal this kind of thing?

Upon further thought, Li Jing let go of his doubts.

Jiang Guanwen didn’t realize that Xia Ai, which he developed by himself, was quite successful. For him, Xia Ai was not a masterpiece but an experimental product, he needed proven successful case data.

Xia Ai had mentioned this to Li Jing before.

The research institute possessed many artificial intelligences like her, with independent personalities, all of which were kept in the Research Institute for observation and research.

Before long, Li Jing reached the deepest part of the Research Institute and found the Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Center.

Just arrived, he saw the automatic door of the R&D center wide open. Dai Hong, the head of the heavy case sixth team, and several other members, as well as several academicians of the Research Institute, were inside.

Looking up, he recognized most of them.

The academicians present seemed familiar.

They must have been present at the Blue Sky and Seawater Bathhouse before.

The heavy case sixth team had few people present. Besides Captain Dai, there were Li Qidao, Mu Baichen, Chen Yihuan, and a total of six people.

What surprised Li Jing was that Chen Yuran was also in the R&D center.

He had not been told by Chen Jing that Chen Yuran would be involved in the investigation.

Chen Yuran had keen senses and detected Li Jing’s gaze, looked in his direction.

Seeing him, she slightly smiled, raised her hand and pointed to the corner of the R&D center.

Seeing this, Li Jing instinctively followed the direction she pointed and was taken aback.

In the corner of the development center, sniffing around, wasn’t that black and white Siberian Husky, none other than Stinky Tofu?

Upon seeing Stinky Tofu, Li Jing immediately understood why Chen Yuran had come. She was here with the dog.

Smart move.

As a natural spiritual beast, Stinky Tofu’s abilities were no less than a human-shaped demon’s, other than his inability to speak human language.

Meanwhile, Dai Hong, who was in conversation with an academician, noticed Li Jing’s arrival and turned to greet him.

"Li Jing."

"Mm."

Li Jing responded and nodded at Chen Yuran, joining Dai Hong.

"Sorry Captain Dai, it’s my first time coming to East City District, so I was a bit delayed."

"As long as you’re here."

Dai Hong chuckled.

"I asked for your help at the last minute, talking to the chief. Yuran told me that you were hosting a birthday tonight for a special someone, so I was worried you might not want to come."

Li Jing fell silent at his words.

Liu Sisi was indeed special to him.

But hearing it from Chen Yuran’s mouth felt somewhat peculiar.

He glanced back at Chen Yuran, who was busying herself with Stinky Tofu, then looked away.

"How are things going so far? Any progress?"

"Hard to say."

Dai Hong shook his head, his face revealing a troubled expression.

"We haven’t been here long and we still don’t know how Jiang Guanwen managed to infiltrate the Research Institute. There are surveillance cameras everywhere in the institute and all entrances are guarded 24/7, yet he just appeared out of the blue."

Continuing, he added.

"The only surveillance footage where Jiang Guanwen showed up was at the entrance. He was caught on camera only because he had to hack the verification mechanism to open the automated door."

Jiang Guanwen was only captured by the entrance camera?

Li Jing frowned and looked towards the ground in front of the research center.

Understanding what was on his mind, Dai Hong said.

"There’s a separate underground laboratory beneath the research center with an entrance elsewhere. To get here from the underground lab, one would have to pass numerous security checks—far more challenging than coming in the front door. Besides, there is a 5 meter thick specially produced high-density hardened steel barrier that can withstand a Fifth Boundary magic skill attack. The barrier has been inspected and found to be undamaged. He must not have come from the underground."

Talking, he patted Li Jing’s shoulder.

"We have limited info for now. Look around and see if you can find anything. If you need help, you can get assistance from an academician here."

"OK, I’ll have a look around."

Li Jing agreed and turned to examine the Research Center’s entrance.

Genuine indication of an impenetrable steel barrier that can withstand a Fifth Boundary magic skill attack beneath the ground—Jiang Guanwen probably didn’t come from there.

But the entrance was the only place where Jiang Guanwen was caught on camera, he might have left some clues there.

Just as he was trying to find traces, Chen Yuran came over.

"Sorry, I couldn’t persuade Captain Dai. He insisted on calling you."

"It’s OK, things at Sisi’s side are already settled."

Li Jing smiled and replied.

"When Uncle called me, I was just about to go home."

"You’ve finished in just a few hours?"

Chen Yuran frowned, looking surprised.

"So you just celebrated her birthday, and that was it?"

"What else?"

Li Jing countered.

Chen Yuran fell silent, then spoke lightly.

"Straight guy."

"..."

Li Jing.

Seeing him at a loss for words, she chuckled and changed the topic.

"I’ve learned a lot about Jiang Guanwen and the Secret Realm. My father was very close to you a while ago, and he often mentioned you. I thought he was just being his usual self, but it seems there were many things I didn’t know."

As she spoke, she looked Li Jing up and down with a meaningful smile.

"I knew you were a good investigator, but I must admit, I might have underestimated you."

Li Jing could only smile at her words.

He didn’t know how to respond to her question.

Just as he was at a loss for words, Chen Yuran turned her head and coldly glared at Stinky Tofu, who was wagging its tail and trying to run towards them.

Successfully using a single look to stop Stinky Tofu in its tracks, Chen Yuran diverted her gaze.

"What’s your opinion about the situation at the Research Institute?"

"There aren’t even any leads, so how would I have an opinion?"

Li Jing took the opportunity to change the subject.

"Did Stinky Tofu find anything?"

"No."

Chen Yuran shook her head.

"Originally, I brought Stinky Tofu here in hopes that it might pick up Jiang Guanwen’s scent and find him. However, there’s no scent of Jiang Guanwen in the Research Institute. It seems like he used some kind of method to erase his scent after he got what he wanted."

As she spoke, she sighed lightly.

"Jiang Guanwen was a high-ranking academician, his research also focused on artificial intelligence. He is very familiar with the institute and extremely careful in his actions. Given the length of his disappearance, I suppose he must have come fully prepared this time. Finding any traces he left at the institute will be very difficult."

Having heard Chen Yuran’s explanation, Li Jing fell into silence.

This matter was indeed troubling.

With Jiang Guanwen leaving no scent behind, it denoted a meticulously planned method and precautions.

After disappearing and laying low for so long only to return to the institute to steal data, it’s hard to believe that he doesn’t have a plan.

Given the current situation, he might have already arranged who to sell the stolen data to.

They have to find him as soon as possible, or else everything would be over.

Time, was of the essence.

But to actually trace him, they at least needed a lead.

What should they do?

Just as Li Jing was in a dilemma, his pocket vibrated slightly.

Sensing the movement, Li Jing paused momentarily; he was about to reach for his phone when he stopped in his tracks.

He glanced at the scholars in the institute and then the vertical surveillance camera near the entrance. Li Jing tugged at Chen Yuran.

"Help me block their view."

?

Chen Yuran was puzzled.

Before she could react, Li Jing had already positioned her so as to block the view of the scholars inside the institute and also camouflaged from the surveillance camera.

Seeing Li Jing take out a phone and insert it into his trouser pocket to light up the screen, Chen Yuran’s lips twitched in amusement.

She thought Li Jing was about to do something significant when in actual fact, he was just operating his phone?

Prior to giving any response, Li Jing made a gesture for silence, pointed at his phone and whispered to Chen Yuran.

"Let me introduce you, this is Xiao Ai."

???

Chen Yuran was taken aback, blinking in confusion.

Looking down, she saw a catgirl cautiously peeping out from the phone screen resting against her stomach and waving at her.

Being suddenly confronted by such a sight, Chen Yuran was initially taken aback.

On the screen, there was a catgirl waving at her.

Was it... greeting me?

"What is this...?"

Chen Yuran’s eyebrows knitted tightly together in confusion.

"Xiao Ai is an artificial intelligence developed by Jiang Guanwen. He gave it to me when he was trying to probe information about the Secret Realm. It has a variety of functions, and Xiao Ai is just one of them."

Li Jing quickly explained.

"Jiang Guanwen, however, does not know that Xiao Ai has developed an independent personality and is still trying to perfect an upgrade."

"..."

Chen Yuran fell silent.

She had noticed Li Jing’s new phone quite a while ago.

They were living under the same roof after all, she would often see him take it out and fiddle with it.

She absolutely did not expect that this notably thick phone, far thicker than any smart machine on the market and looking like a counterfeit product, would actually contain the most advanced artificial intelligence, and moreover be a gift from the suspect Jiang Guanwen in advance.

What was even more astonishing was-

The developer Jiang Guanwen was blissfully unaware of Xiao Ai’s existence. He had no idea that his product had evolved into a cross-era phenomenon.

Chen Yuran looked at Li Jing with surprise, murmuring.

"Don’t you feel that keeping, this is like holding a hot potato?"

"If we give this to the Research Institute, it will end up dissected in a lab."

Li Jing answered, not exactly addressing her question.

"..."

Chen Yuran fell silent, looking at the adorable catgirl peeking out of the screen, she spoke.

"Let me play with it when we get home."

"..."

Li Jing.

He introduced Xia Ai to Chen Yuran and explained the situation, hoping that she could provide him with some buffer. Otherwise, taking out Xia Ai might draw the attention of the academicians in the research center.

If it involves Jiang Guanwen, it would be troublesome if the Research Institute asks him for it.

Li Jing was not worried that Chen Yuran would be ungrateful or "betray" him.

But he had never expected Chen Yuran to ask for such a favor.

Speaking of Xia Ai, her survival instinct was really strong.

Seeing him introducing her to Chen Yuran, she immediately changed to a catgirl avatar to catch Chen Yuran’s interest.

With a twitch at the corner of his mouth, Li Jing looked at Chen Yuran. Then, he glanced at Xia Ai’s specially changed avatar on the screen. He conceded with a wry smile.

"All right, I’ll let you play with it when we get home."

After getting his response, Chen Yuran smiled.

In the screen, Xia Ai, being told that she would have a new "playmate", also bounced out smiling, popping out a bubble.

"I’ve always wanted to get to know you, sister Yuran, but my master wouldn’t allow it."

Seeing the bubble, Chen Yuran raised her eyebrows.

"This little guy can communicate with text?"

"She can do much more than that. Don’t digress now, you can study her after we finish."

Li Jing stated, lowering his eyes to Xia Ai.

"Xia Ai, is there something you want to tell me?"

"Yes."

Xia Ai popped up another bubble.

"I can’t contest what Academician Jiang has stolen. It’s hard to intrude the Research Institute’s system without leaving a trace. But through the environmental detection function, I’ve detected a faint remnant of Yin energy where you are standing."

Reading the content of Xia Ai’s bubble, Chen Yuran widened her eyes.

She knew Xia Ai was the most advanced artificial intelligence.

But she didn’t know that Xia Ai’s abilities were so vast. It was able to hack into the Research Institute’s system and also perform environmental detection.

This...

Should a mobile phone have this functionality?

She wanted to have a closer look at Xia Ai’s body, but her view was blocked.

Xia Ai was placed on her waist, and looking down required her to...

For the first time in her life, Chen Yuran thought having certain areas bigger wasn’t entirely a good thing.

The contents of the bubble made Li Jing’s eyes light up.

Yin energy!?

Exactly!

He should’ve thought about it earlier!

If Jiang Guanwen got some benefits from the Secret Realm’s unknown wisdom, like Liu Yushan, his power properties should also have changed.

He entered the research center through some special means, no matter how meticulous his plan. As long as he used some ability, there should be remnants of his power.

Without giving it much thought, Li Jing inquired.

"Where exactly are these remnants of Yin energy?"

"I can’t tell."

Xia Ai popped out a bubble and then another one afterwards.

"You can have the Research Institute bring over their high-precision detection equipment to investigate. Xia Ai only has the ability to detect, my precision is not that high."

"Got it, you can rest for now, let me know if you find anything."

Li Jing murmured, putting away Xia Ai.